Researchers Present How Couples’ Lifestyle Influences Diabetes Risk

A study found that lifestyle risk factors, including physical activity or exercise and diet, are both found to be more impactful when it comes to identifying risk for type 2 diabetes within a married couple than physiologic factors like sensitivity to insulin tolerance to glucose.

According to Omar Silverman-Retana, MD, Ph.D., the study lead, essentially, their data "suggest that couple-based interventions aiming similarities of spouses" might be an effective way of providing lifestyle interventions.

The study lead said in an interview with a medical news site. They found that spousal concordance was the most decisive risk factor of behavioral risk, particularly physical activity or exercise and diet.

Denmark-based Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital's Silverman-Retana, also said presented their research findings in a poster at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes or EASD, which was held online due to COVID-19.

ALSO READ: Three of the Simplest Yet Effective Exercises to Help Manage Diabetes and Lower Glucose Levels

'Spousal Concordance'

Effectively, researchers found concordance to be "weaker in the pathophysiologic markers" as they are more biologically determined than those with lifestyle factors.

Marital biobehavioral researcher Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D., said this study "is part of a growing body of evidence" that conveys a strong message, cautioning one to be careful with the person they marry, as their life may depend on it.

As a biobehavioral researcher, Kiecolt-Glaser is interested in studying spousal concordance for several chronic health conditions.

This expert also said the behavior of one's partner influences his own. When it comes to diabetes, the study authors have discovered clear behavioral associations, and such links, she added, make sense.

Diet and Exercise

Additionally, according to Kiecolt-Glaser, an Ohio State University College Medicine psychiatry and behavioral health professor, data collected from their laboratory and others present that cohabiting couples' gut microbiomes are more similar to those pairs which are not related.

The professor said that diet and physical activity have considerable impacts on the gut microbiome and that there is growing evidence that the gut microbiome is a contributor to diabetes risk.

As earlier mentioned, Silverman-Retana and colleagues led the research, which involved a cross-sectional investigation of couples who took part in The Maastricht Study. This comprehensive phenotyping test concentrated on type 2 diabetes causes, the typical complications of the condition, and its developing comorbidities.

In connection with the study, the researchers measured a wide-ranging list of indicators referring to lifestyle and physiology.

More so, using the study's social network feature, the study authors identified over 170 couples that had complete information for their final evaluation.

DON'T MISS THIS: What Happens to Your Heart When You Eat Healthier

Factors Included in the Study

Spousal concordance, in terms of pathophysiologic mechanism and lifestyle factors specifically, of type 2 diabetes, including sensitivity to insulin and function of the beta cell, was identified through regression investigation.

Risk factors in the study comprised waist circumference, body fat percentage, physical activity or exercise, inactive or sedentary time, "DHDI or Dutch Healthy Diet Index, and total energy consumption."

Lastly, the study authors studied glucose metabolism status through fasting and two-hour plasma glucose and HbA1c. They were also able to derive beta-cell function indices using a seven-time glucose tolerance test, and the couple-respondents' sensitivity to insulin.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS: 5 Benefits and Some Disadvantages You Can Get From Onions

Check out more news and information on Diabetes on MD News Daily.

© MD News Daily.